Wadicosa mabweana ( Roewer, 1959 ) Kronestedt, 2023

Kronestedt, Torbjörn, 2023, Species of Wadicosa (Araneae, Lycosidae): transfer of four species from Africa currently placed in Pardosa, Zootaxa 5227 (5), pp. 531-548 : 537-539

Wadicosa mabweana ( Roewer, 1959) comb. nov.

Figs 1K , 2D–F , 3B, E , 4B, E, H , 5B–C , 6C–D , 7B, E, H , 10 ; Table 1

Pardosa mabweana Roewer, 1959: 112 , fig. 54a, b (♀).

Type material. Lectotype ♀ from DR CONGO, Haut-Katanga , Upemba National Park , Buye-Bala, [ca 8°47′S, 26°56′E], alt. 1750 m, 27 Sep. 1948 (Mission De Witte, MRAC 139460 ), examined and here designated.—

Paralectotypes. DR CONGO. Haut-Katanga : data as lectotype, 2♀ (Mission De Witte, MRAC 139461 ); Upemba Park, 2♀, RII/11343/679 ( SMF 9911343 ), examined .

Other material examined. ANGOLA. Huila: Cankela (= Kangela , [15°25′S, 15°44′E]), A. Monard, 1♁ 9♀ ( MHNG) ( Lessert 1936 sub Pardosa manubriata ) .— DR CONGO. Haut-Katanga: Lusinga, Ntumbwa river , 8°56′S, 27°12′E, 9 & 13 Apr. 2001, PNU staff, 2♀ ( MRAC 211722 & 211725) ; Mikembo , 11º28′S, 27º39′E, miombo woodland, pitfall traps and hand catch, 18 Jul.–8 Aug. 2010, M. Hasson, 11♁ 35♀ ( MRAC 232512 [2♁ 2♀ now in NHRS], 232518, 232532 [together with 3♁ 14♀ of W. oncka ], 232533) . Kongo-Central: Matadi , 5°49′S, 13°28′E, Feb. 1937, E. Dartevelle, 1♁ ( MRAC 1219 ) .— EQUATORIAL GUINEA. Between Cogo and Rio Muni , 1°09′N, 9°33′E, secondary forest, 20 Jul. 1989, M. Alderweireldt, 4♀ ( MRAC 170101 ) .— GABON. Estuaire: Ntoum , 0°23′N, 9°47′E, piège, bac d’eau, forêt, Oct.–Nov. 1985, A. Pauly, 2♁ ( MRAC 172791 & 172836) .— NAMIBIA. Kavango East: Andara , 18°04′S, 21°29′E, Apr. 1979, M. E. Baddeley, 2♁ 1♀ ( MRAC 170589 ) ; do., May–Jun. 1979, M. E. Baddeley, 1♁ ( MRAC 170638 ) ; do., Oct.–Nov. 1979, M. E. Baddeley, 2♀ ( MRAC 170640 ) (previously identified as Pardosa manubriata ) . Otjozondjupa: Okahandja , [21°59′S, 16°55 ′ E], 1♁, ex RII/10988/648 ( SMF 9910988 ) (together with 1♀ of W. manubriata ).

Remark. Roewer’s (1959) description of W. mabweana was based on 7♀ named ‘Typus’ from DR Congo, Upemba National Park, “Mabwe, riv. est du Lac Upemba, 585 m, 1–12.VIII.1947 ” and 5♀ named ’Paratypoide’ from Upemba National Park, “Buye-Bala, affl[uent] g[auche] Muye et s[ous]-affl[uent] dr[oit] Lufira, 1750 m, 27.IX.1948 ”. As no holotype was formally selected, all original materials are regarded as syntypes and a lectotype (previously labelled ‘holotype’) is here designated. Remaining females of the material listed in Roewer (1959) have not been located and are presumed lost.

Diagnosis. The male differs from other Wadicosa species except W. enucleata and W. manubriata by a long and looped embolus. It differs from W. mabweana and W. manubriata by a weakly developed posterior retrolateral tegular process in the bulbus ( Fig. 4E : p.rl.p, 4H: arrow). The female is similar to W. enucleata in configuration of the epigyne but differs by the cavity in W. mabweana often being less wide and the foveolae less distinct when observed under light microscope (cf. Figs 5B–C and A as well as 6C–D and A–B).

Description. Male ( DR Congo: Mikembo). Total length 5.1. Carapace 2.80 long, 2.15 wide.

Cephalothorax ( Fig. 2D–E ). Carapace brown to blackish with oval yellowish to brownish median field, edge somewhat jagged, in thoracic part. No lateral bands. Sides of carapace with short black pubescence. Median field with recumbent longer white pubescence, often more or less missing due to wear. Recumbent white hairs in between eyes forwards to AME. Clypeus yellowish to dark brown. Chelicerae yellowish to dark brown with sooty longitudinal markings. Sternum greyish brown.

Eyes. Width of row I 50 (slightly procurved as seen from front), row II 64, row III 80, row II–III 63. Diameter of AME 13, ALE 10, PME 24, PLE 20. Distance between AME 8, between AME and ALE 2.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2D–E ). Dorsum anteriorly with greyish brown lanceolate stripe bordered by dark spots.

Lanceolate stripe with a large whitish to yellowish elongated patch on each side ( Fig. 1D ). From back of lanceolate stripe and rearwards dark chevrons and transverse bars on whitish to yellowish ground. Whitish to yellowish colour due to underlying guanocytes. Venter whitish yellow with recumbent white pubescence and scattered short dark hairs. Sides light brown to blackish brown, dotted with lighter spots.

Legs (Table I). Yellowish to greyish brown with darker annulation. In dark specimens, most of Fe appear dark and other segments more or less darkened. Coxae light yellowish, more or less suffused with grey.

Palp (3B, E, 4B, E, H). Pt 0.50, Ti 0.45, Cy 1.30. Fe mostly dark grey, other segments greyish brown to yellowish, partly suffused with dark grey. Cy brownish, more or less suffused with grey, distally lighter Tegular apophysis in ventral view ( Figs 3B , 4B ) longer than wide, widest distally, with hook-like process in lower distal “corner”. Anterior retrolateral tegular process in retrolateral view ( Figs 3E , 4E, H ) comparatively long, widest proximally, obliquely cut distally. Proximal retrolateral tegular process resembling a low crest ( Fig. 4H ). Conductor not discernible. Embolus ( Figs 3B, E , 4B, E ) long, looped, wide, tapering at tip.

Female ( DR Congo: Mikembo). Total length 7.6. Carapace 3.40 long, 2.60 wide.

Cephalothorax and abdomen ( Fig. 2F ). Similar to male. Lateral bands on carapace may be present as indistinct yellowish patches with whitish hairs.

Eyes. Width of row I 58 (slightly procurved as seen from front), row II 74, row III 93, row II–III 74. Diameter of AME 14, ALE 11, PME 27, PLE 24. Distance between AME 9, between AME and ALE 2.

Legs ( Table 1). Yellowish with greyish annulation. Darker specimens with darkened legs: Fe may be mostly black with annulation of whitish hairs. Coxae yellowish, suffused with grey.

Female genitalia ( Figs 5B–C , 6C–D , 7B, E, H ). Epigyne with median cavity wider than long, anteriorly covered by cuticular extension forming a transverse edge posteriorly ( Figs 5B–C , 6C–D , 7B ). Anterior to the latter two foveolae, not distinctly separated when seen under light microscope ( Fig. 6C–D ). Accessory structures close to midline, partly surrounding spermathecae ( Fig. 7E ).

Size variation. Carapace lengths of material measured: males 2.30–3.15 (N=15), females 2.70–3.60 (N=15).

Distribution ( Fig. 10 ). Angola, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Namibia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–C. Wadicosa manubriata (Simon), male. A. Right palp in retrolateral view, from Simon (1898: fig. 356). B–C. Holotype, right palp in retrolateral view (B), and left palp in antero-ventral view (C). Photographs by C. Hervé, MNHN. D–E. W. sordidecolorata (Strand), epigynes, from Strand (1908): D pl. 8, fig. 16 (“Lycosa sordide-colorata”) and E pl. 8, fig.9 (“Lycosa darolii”). F. W. enucleata (Roewer), epigyne, from Roewer (1959, fig. 62b). G–I. W. manubriata (Simon), from Roewer 1959, fig. 63a–c), G. Right palp in retrolateral view. H. Left palp in ventral view. I. Epigyne. (G and H obviously drawn from microslide SMF 13616 (RII 4914/252) in which the embolus in ventral view is distorted similarly to that shown in H.) K. W. mabweana (Roewer), epigyne, from Roewer (1959, fig. 54a). L–M. W. sordidecolorata (Strand), from Roewer (1959, fig. 30a–c). L. Right male palp. M. “Lamella characteristica”= tegular apophysis. N. Epigyne. O. Pardosa darolii (Strand). from Roewer (1959, fig. 20).

FIGURE 2. Habitus, dorsal view.A–C. Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer).A ♁ from Tanzania: Mkomazi, B ♁ from Nigeria: Ilorin. C ♀ from Tanzania: Kyela. D–F. W. mabweana (Roewer). D ♁ and F ♀ from DR Congo: Mikembo, E ♁ from Namibia:Andara. G–I. W. manubriata (Simon). G ♁ from Namibia: Brukkaros Crater. H ♁ from South Africa: Dendron. I ♀ from Zimbabwe: Umguza River. Scale bar: 2 mm (A–I).

FIGURE 3. Right male palp, ventral view (A–C) and retrolateral view (D–F). A, D. Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer) from Tanzania: Kyela. B, E. W. mabweana (Roewer) from DR Congo: Mikembo. C, F. W. manubriata (Simon) from Namibia: Brukkaros Crater. Scale bar: 0.5 mm (A–F).

FIGURE 4. Bulbus of left male palp in ventral (A–C) and retrolateral (D–F, detail enlarged in G–I), view. A, D, G. Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer) from Tanzania: Kyela. B, E, H. W. mabweana (Roewer) from DR Congo: Mikembo. C, F, I. W. manubriata (Simon) from Namibia: Windhoek. Arrows point at posterior retrolateral tegular process. Scale bars: 300 µm (A–F), 200 µm (G–I).

FIGURE 5. Epigyne, ventral view. A. Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer) from Tanzania: Kyela. B, C. W. mabweana (Roewer), from DR Congo: Mikembo. D. W. manubriata (Simon), from Zimbabwe: Umguza River. E. W. sordidecolorata (Strand), from Cameroon: Koum. Scale bar: 0.2 mm (A–E).

FIGURE 6. Epigyne, ventral view.A–B. Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer), A holotype, B from Zimbabwe: Batoka Gorge. C–D. W. mabweana (Roewer), C lectotype, D from Namibia:Andara. E–F. W. manubriata (Simon), E from Namibia: Windhoek, F from Namibia: Brukkaros Crater. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 7. Epigyne in ventral (A, B, C) and female genitalia in dorsal (D–F, details in G–I) view.A, D, G. Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer) from Zimbabwe: Batoka Gorge. B, E, H. W. mabweana (Roewer) from DR Congo: Mikembo. C, F, I. W. manubriata (Simon), C from Namibia: Windhoek, F from South Africa: Paarl (F). Scale bars: 300 µm (A–F), 50 µm (G–I).

FIGURE 10. Collection localities for Wadicosa enucleata (Roewer), W. mabweana (Roewer), W. manubriata (Simon) and W. sordidecolorata (Strand).